The Greens are concerned that Council’s Draft LEP will lead to overdevelopment, congestion and loss of heritage, especially in our commercial strips. The state government has overridden council’s original vision as outlined in its 2007 Urban Strategy. In particular the state government has insisted that certain strategically located industrially zoned lands should not be rezoned residential and offset this by further increasing development potential in the commercial strips.

The Greens vision for the Marrickville Local Government Area comes from our existing urban design. We want terrace style development and retention of period buildings as opposed to blocks of flats and towers. We want to encourage warehouse conversions rather than warehouse demolition. We don’t want to create new shopping malls in Lewisham and Marrickville. And we support ancillary dwellings particularly in our urban centres

The introduction of Part3A and Joint Regional Planning Panels by the state government further diminish council’s ability to adhere to the original Urban Strategy vision. These processes cut out the community’s voice. Other changes made by the state government, such as the Complying Housing State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) recalculation of Floor Space Ratios, all serve to reduce and override council, it’s planning policies and it’s Urban Strategy.

As part of the LEP process Council has been required to reduce its Heritage Conservation Areas (HCA) by half. This will make more of period houses vulnerable to demolition.

The development guidelines for Marrickville over the next 20 years are being decided, now. Marrickville can follow the examples set by Hurstville, Rockdale, Chatswood or Bondi Junction or we can look to the preservation of our buildings, encourage the successful terrace style of development and only support larger developments where appropriate.

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The Marrickville and Petersham-Newtown Greens are the local groups for members of The Greens political party living in the Sydney suburbs of Dulwich Hill, Enmore, Lewisham, Marrickville, Newtown, Petersham, St Peters, Stanmore, Sydenham and Tempe.

All electoral comment on this site authorised by Richard Morrell 19 Eve Street Erskinville NSW